El Ballestero

El Ballestero is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain; it is 68 km west of Albacete. A small town in La Mancha. it was likely founded after the meeting between Alfonso X (the wise) and his son-in-law, Jaime I of Aragón to settle the ownership of the recently captured territory. Local legend has it that this fertile, well-watered area was settled by crossbowmen ("ballestero" in Spanish) now redundant following the cessation of hostilities. The town was established around a crossroads on the main road between Munera and Robledo.Like many of the small towns in La Mancha, El Ballestero lost a significant share of its population in the mid-20th century. In the 1949 census, El Ballestero had 1,858 inhabitants, but the population shrank over the following decades; in the peak emigration year, 1964, over 500 left. The emigrants largely moved to large cities and the coast, where employment opportunities had increased in the growing tourist industry. In recent years, many abandoned homes have been purchased by people from Madrid, Valencia and other large cities who have refurbished them as second homes. Over the last 10 years, the number of abandoned houses still in ruins has reduced substantially.FacilitiesThe town hosts an 18th-century church built in the Renaissance style, two bars serving food, a supermarket, a pharmacy, a bread shop, a hairdresser, a public library, a bank, a school and an Olympic-sized swimming pool which is open to the public in July and August. On weekends, a music bar (Spins) opens its doors. There is a small market held on Thursdays. There are also various guest houses (casas rurales) and a small hotel.